Wabi-sabi
by tadashiswife
Summary: "You ever ate someone before, Tadashi?" From the moment Tadashi Hamada jumped into the portal from his world as an experiment, and entered the fearful world full of ghouls, his life changed completely. And just maybe into a tragedy. [BigHero6xTokyoGhoul:re] [Includes OCs]
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Read (if on PC) 3/4 size.

* * *

**Wabi-sabi:** _represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete"_

* * *

"You don't smell like a human, nor like a ghoul." The girl inhaled in his scent once more, her visible eye closing as she threw her back slightly. She opened her eye again and frowned. The displeased expression on her face caused Tadashi to gulp and his hands clenched into a fist. One of her eyes were hidden under light blue, thick bangs, but the eye that was visible sent chills down his spine. The whole eye was black, aside from her red pupil.

She spoke in Japanese, so he guessed that he had teleported to Japan, but not the Japan he knew.

"I-I'm not from here." Tadashi stuttered in Japanese, and then felt a lump form in his throat. It was a good thing his parents taught him as much as they could before they died. He felt that he wanted to explain more about his situation, but the terror in him stopped him from even breathing at some points.

"Huh?" She slowly stood straight up, staring down at him as he pushed himself more against the brick wall. Her pitch had become lighter as she spoke, although it was still deeply frightening, "You're lost? Do you know where you're at? You're lucky it's only the 20th ward, anywhere else and you would've been dismembered already. Actually, where are you from?"

It was weird, one moment it looked as if the girl was going to kill her and the next she seemed fascinated by him.

"I'm from San Fransokyo." He managed to say without stuttering.

Before she could respond, the sound of metal clanking metal resonated down the alley. Next thing they both knew, the girl was thrown to the wall across from Tadashi. His eyes travelled from her to the shadow between her and him. The person was a man shorter than Tadashi, with black hair and glistening glasses above eyes similar to the girl before him.

"What did I say, Touka? These are my feeding grounds." He spat at her, shoving his hands into his pockets, before realizing Tadashi's presence.

"Shut up, you sex-obsessed Nishiki." She insulted right back, and then stood up normally despite the cracks on the wall from where she was thrown at. When the two were finally up, Touka gave out a gentle laugh. "Take off those glasses of yours, they bring back too much memories." Her voice was soft and her eyes have had become a deep, shimmering blue. She seemed a little sad, as if she wasn't the monster Tadashi assumed she was a few moments ago.

Nishiki glanced down at Tadashi, but his eyes were still black with piercing red pupils. An eerie smirk grew across his lips, and he bent down instantly while taking a whiff of Tadashi.

Then he scrunched up his nose, "You smell absolutely disgusting." He remarked.

What was it that made Tadashi smell so bad? He was sure he had showered before jumping into the portal, and even tempted to sniff his armpits quickly. Also, the place he was at already reeked of cooper and a sickly sweet scent. It almost made Tadashi gag. He would have, if it weren't for those two watching at him cautiously.

Quickly, Nishiki thrusted a single index finger into Tadashi's right shoulder. In all honesty, Nishiki didn't even enjoy harming and killing as much as he should have had, but if there was free dinner offered right in front of him, he would take it. He pulled it out easily, and licked the bloody tip of his finger. He grimaced right away, finding the blood purely disgusting.

"I don't even want to eat him, it's like he's not even from here. It's like he's not even human. A ghoul perhaps? Like Sasaski, maybe." Nishiki said, and then rose back up.

Tadashi was still in shock, his eyes wide opened, refusing to look at the small, bleeding whole in his shoulder. The pain was becoming more and more visible, so eventually he stiffly turned his head. Right through his t-shirt, and into his skin.

"He says he's from San Fransokyo, have you ever heard of that place?" Touka asked, and tried her best to ignore Tadashi's whimper.

"Nope, and I'm pretty damn sure it doesn't exist. This is probably a newbie dove trying to escape to safety." Nishiki hissed, narrowing his eyes at Tadashi with a 'tsk' coming out of his mouth.

"I'm not a bird." Tadashi frowned as he began to feel flustered.

Nishiki laughed loudly, and then unexpectedly slammed his foot to the right of Tadashi's head. Tadashi's eyes were still opened wide, his matted bangs stuck to his sweaty forehead and he felt his heart quicken as his chest got tighter. He could hear bits of the brick break down, and feel even the slightest impact of those bits falling onto his bleeding shoulder.

"This has got to be a joke." Nishiki whispered, and then Tadashi seen everything go blurry as something swung at his temple. Then it went all black. 

* * *

When Tadashi woke up, it wasn't due to the sunlight shining through the thin curtains, or the birds chirping outside the window. It was the feeling that something had crawled up his shin, so close to his inner thigh. Like a bug, but when his eyes opened up, there was no one there. Or so he thought.

Tadashi could smell coffee, and for a second he believed he was back at the Lucky Cat Cafe.

Although that couldn't be the case, because the next thing he heard was, "Good morning, alien-san!" A bubbly voice chimed in an almost perfect English accent, and caused Tadashi to jerk his head to the left of him. Near him sat a petite girl with curly black hair and green eyes. Suddenly the girl gave out an uncanny giggle. She seemed adorable, however with what he have had been through so far, looks could be very deceiving.

"Where am I?" Tadashi mumbled, and gingerly sat up. His back ached, and there was a throbbing sensation at his temples. Everything felt sore, as if he had been pulled apart out of his will and hastily put together during the time he was unconscious.

"You're at :re. Well, the upstairs. I wouldn't get off just yet either," the girl suggested as Tadashi brought his legs to the side of the couch, "You might open up the stitches." She added.

"Stitches?" He gasped, and then ran his arm down his torso, and stopped at the abdomen. He could feel the stitches stretched across almost his whole abdomen vertically, right to left. Then his hand moved down to his inner thigh, where he felt aching bruises under his pressing fingers. It was all too much for him, so he stopped checking at the thigh bruises.

"Yeah, I heard you're not from here, does your place have stitches?" She inquired. Tadashi couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not because of the fascinated look appearing on her face.

"We do, and if you don't mind me asking, where are we exactly? And who are you?"

"Oh, how rude of me! Since you don't seem like you're a native, my name is Akane. First name Akane, last name Suzuki. You can address me as Akane, if you'd like." She smiled and then continued, "And I told you already! We're at :re, a cafe!"

Tadashi nodded his head as if he was remembering her telling him, but in reality, he could barely process anything. It was all disorganized in his head, and he felt himself missing home terribly. How long have he been gone for? Maybe months have had already passed by, and he was labeled as missing from his world. He frowned, and the thoughts of Hiro and his friends back home filled up his mind. It added onto the stomach pain and headache.

"By the way, you can talk to me in Japanese if you'd like. I know how to speak it." Tadashi informed her while leaning back against the couch.

Akane nodded her head eagerly, like she was already prepared to bombard him with sentences that he wouldn't be able to catch up to. "What's your name?" Akane asked.

"Tadashi." He answered.

"Are you a dove? A distasteful human? A ghoul?" She questioned.

Tadashi rolled his eyes slightly at the word 'dove', recollecting the last time he heard it. "A _distasteful_ human." He said, and then closed his eyes. Perhaps that this was just a prolonged dream and that if he closed his eyes long enough, it would open up and reveal himself back on his bed, in his room. With a book in his hand and Hiro browsing on his computer across the room from him.

The door behind Akane swung open, and the girl that he seen earlier shuffled her way to Akane. Akane whispered something into her ear, and Touka's lips pinched in.

Gradually, Tadashi recalled her name, and whispered it, "Touka."

Touka turned her face to him, her right eye still hidden under the bangs. Her hair appeared to be even lighter with the sunlight coming into the room. Those eyes of hers seemed more calm, and almost matched her hair. They both reminded him of the colors of a salt water beach on a rainy day. Seemingly, he felt that his description also matched with her expression. Her eyes gave a melancholic glisten, and her smile was small. The gentle tide after all the stormy waves have crashed down.

"Ah, you're finally awake, Tadashi. You're lucky I saved your life, Nishiki almost killed you. He would have had, if I hadn't stopped him. If nii-san hadn't stopped me." She told him, and then sat on one of the armrest.

"Well, thank you for saving me," Tadashi said, "You're a life-saver."

Touka didn't respond to that, and simply tilted her head with the same small smile. On the other hand, a deep frown showed on Akane's face and then she crossed her arms.

"Can I eat him already? Nishiki said he tasted bitter, and I like bitter." She thought out loud, and when she realized what she said, her mouth parted and she looked at back and forth at Touka and Tadashi. Touka wasn't planning to ever eat him, for some unknown reason, but that didn't stop others from wanting to try.

"Eat? Eat me?" Tadashi stammered, his chest rising higher as his breathing quickened, and his hands rolled into tight fists. His palms were beginning to get sweaty.

There it was again, those eyes. Black and red, with no mercy, appearing on Akane's face. She dragged her hands down her face aggressively, and then leaned towards him. Touka held her by one shoulder, however anyone could see that wouldn't be enough to hold her back.

"Boy, don't you know what world you're in?" Akane asked with a malicious tone. "Don't you know who you've been talking to this whole time?" Her eyes were a lot frightening than Touka or Nishiki's. It was possibly because the other two never showed their true strength while he was conscious, whereas Akane meant all harm despite if he was awake or not.

Before anything critical could happen, a man silently stepped into the room. Tadashi didn't even notice him until Asato rigidly tensed up, along with Touka. The man was tall, and had a small goatee. Hair just a little paler than Touka, so Tadashi assumed that was her older brother.

"Akane." Was all he had to say for her to have her sweating in fear.

"I think you should go back to work, I'll deal with this. You too, Touka." He ordered, and made his way behind the two girls.

"Tadashi, you're so fortunate." Akane said to him in a sarcastic way, and then stood up from the chair. "And yes, Yomo!" She exclaimed, and then rushed out of the room. Her brown, curly hair smacking her back as she disappeared out the door.

The sound of someone stomping down the stairs could be heard, and then it was quiet again. Touka and Yomo looked at each other, neither one having a distinct expression. Their lips were in a thin straight line, and eyes narrowed as they stared at each other. It seemed as if they were both getting ready to kill each other.

"Touka, go downstairs and start working. More customers are coming. Go now." Yomo demanded.

Without another word, Touka glanced at Tadashi and then shuffled out of the room.

When she was gone, Yomo studied Tadashi's appearance. Messy black hair, dark brown eyes with light bags under, wore a wrinkled t-shirt and dirty jeans. He looked even worse than he did when he first arrived here. "How are those stitches feeling?" Yomo inquired, voice laced with no concern whatsoever.

"Alright, I guess." Tadashi answered.

"You're probably wondering what is going on, which is to be expected." Yomo stated, and crossed his arms. He was still examining Tadashi, watching the way Tadashi's hands gripped shut and his teeth gritted a little. It could've been out of angry, but it also could have had been out of frustration too.

"Are you guys going to eat me?" The attitude in his voice was clear, and it looked like Tadashi was too upset to be scared.

Yomo shrugged his shoulders. "Well, it depends. Do you plan to kill us? No ghoul here has any intention to digest even a bit of you, besides Asato, she'll eat anything. Nishiki said you taste like absolute crap, not even edible. That's pretty rare." He reported.

If Tadashi tasting like absolute crap helped him avoid those ghouls and not want to be eaten, then he could be the crappiest crap. At the same time of his gratification, the annoyance in him started to build up in him. He barely ever got exasperated, so he exhaled out a loud, croaking groan. He just wanted to hear that this was a very well planned, but cruel joke created by his brilliant friends. The mere idea of him understanding the whole situation would have had eased him greatly. There were too many surprises and unknown things.

"Do you know what ghouls are, Tadashi?" Yomo asked while raising a single eyebrow.

"Ghouls are monsters or evil spirits that eat human flesh, maybe zombies, and are found in graveyards. At least according to the dictionary." Tadashi hesitantly responded, and then opened his mouth again. Tadashi was doubting everything now, because everything didn't seem real enough to be true still. Well, it was more of it being too true, and him refusing to believe it was, "Am I wrong?" He questioned.

The look on Yomo's face still didn't change, he always seemed to be unamused by anything.

"You're not wrong, but you're not right either. Ghouls in this world, since you're apparently not from here, are," he paused for a short moment, "almost like humans."

"Almost?"

Yomo gave Tadashi a subtle nod, and then continued, "We age like them, can laugh like them, and fortunately, most times try to live like them. The only difference is our diet, and how our bodies work. I'm guessing you already know what we are capable of eating."

Tadashi shifted in his seat, a sickening feeling settling into his stomach. He was fascinated and horrified.

"We have to eat it to survive though, that's our diet. That's also why doves, or ghoul investigators, are all after us. Also, I would throw you out on the streets but Touka insisted on waiting until you heal. Nishiki really went at you, almost tore apart your limbs. Actually, I even have a friend with the doves, maybe he could get a surgeon to make you in a Quinx." It was hard to tell, but Tadashi swore he could see a corner of Yomo's straight lips twitch up.

"A Quinx?" Tadashi mumbled. It was just more and more unfamiliar words being thrown at him.

"These paradoxical humans that work for the CCG, or Commission of Counter Ghoul, who get surgery and try to become like ghouls, to gain the strength of ghouls, to kill real ghouls." Yomo answered.

"Is everyone here a killer?" There were more questions Tadashi wanted answers to, though that was the only one that came out of his mouth.

Yomo didn't say anything, and simply stared at Tadashi. His gaze caused Tadashi to feel uncomfortable, and Tadashi shifted his eyes to the side. The room was silent.

The sunlight coming from the window warmed up the back of Tadashi's head and his back. The birds still haven't stopped chirping, and if Tadashi strained his hearing, he could hear the sound of car horns from afar. The room had a sleek wooden floor, and smelled like dark coffee. That was when Tadashi noticed a small mug of coffee on the coffee table in front of him.

Slowly, Tadashi moved his head around to stare out the window. The sky was the bluest hue, with no cloud in sight. A few black birds flew by, and the building next door gleamed almost rainbow windows. It was odd, how beautiful it all was in this type of world.

"Go clean yourself, then I'll talk to you more. I'll show you the bathroom, let's go." Yomo said, and then stood up. Tadashi did the same, and stiffly walked behind Yomo out of the room. 

* * *

The bathtub was medium size, pearly white and had all types of scented soaps around it. The water was scorching hot, and filled up to his chin, but Tadashi wanted it that way. It distracted him from the pain on his thighs, the soreness at his shoulders, and the ache at his stomach.

There were many thoughts running through his head, and each one made him want to groan and sigh.

Then his family and friends back home entered his mind. Tadashi swallowed his spit, staring up at the ceiling, and then closed his eyes while giving out a trembling breath. "A world full of ghouls." He muttered, leaning his head back against the rim of the bathtub. "A world vacant of peace, and love." He whispered, his voice a little louder.

Tadashi attempted to think positive, but there was nothing positive to think about. He was worlds away from those he cared most about, and felt universes away from reality, especially from himself. It was as if jumping into the portal meant never coming back, and he had no idea how to come back.

"Hey, idiot, you done yet? You've been in there for an hour." Someone commented outside of the bathroom. The voice sounded like it belonged to Nishiki.

Tadashi felt like a little kid next to Nishiki, being insulted like that. In the normal world, in his world, Tadashi would have had stood up for himself, but this was not the normal world, and Tadashi sunk deeper into the water while hoping to disappear.

"Hurry up, Yomo wants you downstairs. Something about a Quinx, I don't know. Either way, we better see you down soon, or else." Nishiki threatened, and then walked away.

Tadashi didn't move for a few moments, and then brought himself all the way below the surface of the water. The water has already cooled down, any sounds would become muffled, and for a while, it was the only thing keeping him sane.

Everybody he had met so far were what he associated with monsters. Although, when he thought of the word 'ghoul', he didn't think of Touka. He thought about just about everyone else. It was strange, since she was the first ghoul he seen. She transcended the mere idea of a beautiful monster, and was an abundance of adjectives and nouns he couldn't manage to understand.

That was when another question popped into Tadashi's mind. How come she didn't let him get killed? How come she told Yomo to let him heal first, before letting him run off? Maybe it was because she was scared he would run to authorities. Yeah, that was probably it.

Either way, she saved his life. He was determined to thank her, if he didn't get killed anytime soon.

Tadashi wasn't afraid of dying, and would risk his life for good people if he had to. That was what he wanted to accomplish back at San Fransokyo, to help everyone. However, it now seemed impossible, especially at this place. He didn't want to have to adapt in fear, and wasn't use to what he was being told.

It wasn't death itself that he feared, it was life.

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**A/N: **I'm still unsure about the pairings in this story, but I adore Touka so.. This fanfiction is dedicated to Kirra, or 'pixelfaerie' on here! Thank you for insisting I read the Tokyo Ghoul manga, I am so happy I did!

(✿◠‿◠) **Feedback, please! **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**: Read (if on PC) 3/4 size.

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**Wabi-sabi:** _represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete"_

* * *

When Tadashi finished getting dressed with the clothes Yomo offered, and the water had drained from the bathtub, he made his way out into the hallway. The set of stairs were at the end, and he heard chatter from downstairs. A lot of it, actually. Loud laughter, and a few slams against a table, as if someone was telling a hysterical story.

Tadashi's palms were already starting to become clammy as he held the railing to help himself down. Just when he reached down to the last step, things were beginning to hush up. The café was full of people, and Tadashi swore he could see some look at him hungrily.

"Ah, Tadashi! Come over here, let me brew you up some coffee. Tadashi!" Akane called out, waving her arm to grab his attention.

She still wasn't trust-worthy to him, and he could see the smirk on her face meant more than it should have had, but he still hurried over there. At the moment, she was the only person he known in the café. The others were people he didn't know, and most likely didn't want to know. Yomo, Touka, nor Nishiki were anywhere in sight. Tadashi grunted to himself, since Yomo was the one that told him to come down when he wasn't there himself.

Akane brewed a cup of coffee right in front of Tadashi, because she seen that he watched her every move. "I know you don't trust me, but I think that you should, considering we are going to know each other for a while now." She told him, pouring coffee into the white cup.

Tadashi took in a quick breath through his nose, and then grimaced in disapproval. Did she remember what she tried to do to him less than three hours ago?

"I know I tried to do some things I'm not so proud of," Akane said, and then slide to cup over to him, "But I've changed."

This was such a joke to Tadashi, he almost laughed. He would have had, if it wasn't for the other three appearing from the back. Touka was glaring at Akane, foreseeing Akane's plan. Nishiki looked as if he was going to fall asleep, with his eyes half-closed and darted down to the floor. There was a box in Yomo's hand, with a sticker on the side of it. It was simply a coffee bean box.

"Tadashi, do you mind sitting with me for a cup of coffee?" Touka requested.

"Sure." Tadashi replied, and then picked up his cup to show her that he was already prepared. Of course he was still anxious and hesitant, but out of all the people there, he believed that Touka wasn't as bad as them.

Touka walked over to him, and sat down at the stool beside his. Akane had already placed a cup in front of Touka, and retreated over to the customers to get orders.

For a few seconds, Touka stared at the brown coffee, and then reached into her pocket to pull out a small tan cube. Then she dropped it into her cup, small amounts of water splashing out under its plop. Tadashi doubted that it was a normal sugar cube, considering that it was tan, and had a weird vibe to it as Touka gulped down her coffee.

"These cubes are like snacks. They won't stop the hunger completely, but they'll subside it." Touka clarified without Tadashi even asking. "Which is why there are so many ghouls here, a lot of them don't go hunting in the day time, but they go hungry. So we offer these cubes."

Yomo was gone from view again, and Tadashi didn't bother to figure out where Nishiki was.

"So, where are you from? San Fransokyo is nowhere in Japan, do you mean San Francisco in America? Though Yomo stated that it isn't anywhere on this earth. Did you just drop from the sky, or something?" She curiously asked.

"I think I did." Tadashi weakly chuckled, "I don't remember much past meeting you. All I know is that where I'm from, I was working on this portal experiment. It was just supposed to be a transportation device, bringing me to another room, but instead I jumped in and here I am." He explained.

"Oh? You're a scientist? How old are you by the way? You seem older than me." Touka planned to ask a lot more questions, since that was her order from Yomo. To find out more about him, his weak spots, why he was there, etcetera. Yomo didn't explain why he wanted to know, and why he chose her exactly, though she rarely ever did question him.

"I went to San Fransokyo Institute of Technology, and I was a robotics engineering student. Also, I am twenty-one." Tadashi politely answered. He didn't mind the questions, and actually enjoyed it when they were simply.

"Touka, customer." Yomo poked his head out from behind the bar, scaring Tadashi a little. He was wiping the shining plates, and stacking them up evenly on top of each other.

Touka nodded her head, reached over the bar to grab a clipboard and a pen, and then hopped off the stool. Tadashi stared at her back as she went off, to greet a group of distinctive looking people. One had hair that were two different colors, the other had an eye-patch, and one reminded Tadashi of a shark. Droopy eyes and sharp teeth.

When Tadashi looked away, he noticed Yomo's hard eyes looking at the group also. His hands had stopped moving, and his shoulders rose up stiff slightly. Tadashi wondered if Yomo knew the people? Or if they were also ghouls. And not the best kind.

Tadashi strained his hearing to listen to Touka, but while at it, he heard Yomo mutter a name. He couldn't catch the name though.

The group mumbled to each other after they noticed Yomo's intense stare, but Touka interuppted them by moving in front of their view.

"Hey, how many times do I have to tell you to greet the customers?" She rhetorically questioned Yomo, before facing the others.

Touka directed them to a table at the walls, and she took their orders quickly before returning to behind the bar. She muttered something in Yomo's ear, and Yomo didn't give back a response. He simply put down the towel and plate in his hands to the surface of the bar, and then walked away. It was quiet between the workers, and even between the customers. As if the group gave off an intimidating aura, although they seemed alright to Tadashi.

Some customers mumbled the name, "Haise Sasaki." With an upset tone.

Yomo sat down right in front of the boy with white hair adorned by black streaks, and scrutinized him for several moments without saying a word. However it looked like only Tadashi found it abnormal, since everyone else went about their business, except for the table.

"Ah, the order was three cups of coffee?" The customer spoke, and flashed a small smile.

As Yomo walked back silently, Touka lectured him while walking out with a tray of three cup of coffee. "Sorry for the wait." She told them, and placed one cup in front of each person.

"Whoa... Delicious." Tooru, the eyepatch one admired.

"It's a bullseye! And Sassan's nose kagune ain't shit either! Right?" Ginshi wondered. He directed a toothy grin to Haise.

Haise lowered his head with a small smile, and stared down at the cup after taking a short sip. "Yeah, it's tasty." He replied, though the smile on his face quickly disappeared. "Huh?" He gasped. Small droplets of tears brimmed in his eyes, and soon fell out. An air of melancholy clouded around him, and settled into his lungs as he tried to breathe.

As he lowered down his head even more, a hand offering a handkerchief appeared in his blurry vision. Instantly, he looked up from the pale hand and took the handkerchief gently. He looked at Touka for quick second.

"Ah, I'm sorry. It's delicious, it really is." He wearied, clearly flustered, and then patted his wet cheeks and dabbed the corners of his eyes without looking back up at Touka.

While Touka waited for her handkerchief, her eyes didn't move away from Haise, and he couldn't get the image of her expression out of his mind. _She gave him a smile, a smile that looked a little troubled and a bit sad_. And the only thought that crossed Haise's mind was that _he once had such a beautiful person in his life_.

* * *

After Haise and his friends were gone, Touka walked back over to Tadashi, and sat down quietly.

"Are you okay?" Tadashi asked, twirling the cup around by the handle.

Touka's coffee went cold, and she pushed it away lightly. "I'm... Alright." She slowly answered, and then pensively played with her fingers. The moment she looked at Haise, she felt too many things at once. He reminded her of someone she once knew too terribly, and she felt that she was right to put the two together. It hurt to think about it, so it was best that she tried her best not to.

"What's up? Was he your old friend, or something? Your older brother, I mean Yomo, didn't seem too happy about him." Tadashi commented.

"I believe he is an old friend." Touka told him, and although the answer was vague, it was evident that he wasn't just any typical old friend. "And Yomo isn't my brother." She added.

"Oh?"

"Jeez, it looks like you still have a lot to learn." She groaned, surprising Tadashi a little. Her voice became more low as she continued, "Ghouls aren't accepted in this world, and Yomo, Nishiki, and I aren't exactly that safe from doves. My kagune is well-known to the doves. So, Yomo and I became new people when something happened. We're apparently related now."

Tadashi nodded his head, and processed the new information immediately. He ran his hand down to the back of his head, propped his elbow on the bar, placing his head on the palm of his hand.

"But enough about me, let's talk more about you. Do you have a family?" Touka inquired, her voice returning to its soft self.

"I do actually," Tadashi said, quite sadly. "My younger brother, his name is Hiro and he is a genius. Graduated high school at thirteen actually. Then I have my Aunt Cass, because my parents died."

Touka's eyes widened in surprise. "So, you lost your parents too? How strange." It was originally just a thought, but it slipped out of her mouth and she couldn't take it back once it did.

"Yeah, when I was a kid. Hiro doesn't remember much of them, being just a baby then, but when he says the word 'parents', you could just hear how sad he is. He's a strong kid though, I think he's doing just fine now." Tadashi responded.

"Even without you? I think it's really hard to find out your sibling's gone, especially when you're close to them, or when the parents are gone also. It just makes you want to go back, sometimes." Touka sighed. It was a nostalgic sigh, and Tadashi could tell that her words meant more to her than it did to him. Then she moved on to the next question after realizing what kind of mood she have had put down between her and Tadashi. "Do you know how to fight in any way?" She questioned.

"I mean, I know some karate but in this place, I doubt it's useful." Tadashi replied and then chuckled.

"And you're right with that. Unless you were to join the doves or stay under our roof, you're dead before you know it. Neither humans nor ghouls last very long nowadays." She said with no visible feeling.

"I don't think I'd want to join the doves. I don't think I can ever kill anyone, even if they're a ghoul." He told her.

"You'll never survive in this world if you can't kill, Tadashi." Touka stated.

Tadashi wanted to ask more about her statement, but an unexpected grasp to his shoulder made him yelp in pain. It was a firm grasp by a callous hand, and Tadashi was afraid to turn around and check who it was. When he carefully spun around, he seen that it was just Yomo.

"Do you mind going with me somewhere later?" He requested.

Tadashi wanted to say no, however he knew that there was no actual choice for him. "I don't mind at all." Tadashi said.

Akane skipped over to the bar with an empty tray in her hands, humming a sweet melody, and many people watched her. The tune she hummed sounded oddly pleasing, but the beginning part was unsteady. Her curls bounced, and her white teeth gleamed under the bright lights. If Tadashi didn't know that she was a ghoul, and an especially hunger-driven one, he would have smiled at her appearance.

The humming didn't stop, and despite her disappearing into the back room, it kept going on in Tadashi's mind. Eventually, he even started humming his own melody, since he never got to listen to the end of Akane's hum.

Yomo had started work again, and so did Touka, leaving Tadashi all by himself. Left alone with his thoughts, he groaned and tapped his index finger repeatedly to distract himself from over thinking. However, the thoughts wouldn't end. Anxiety crept up on him, and gradually all his fingers tapped roughly on the surface of the bar. He was terrified of going with Yomo, although he proved to be a bit trust-worthy. Saving him, providing him safety, and all.

The only thoughts that were holding him together were Hiro, and his world. The idea that rebuilding the teleportation device, and being able to return home kept his actions from becoming too dramatic.

"Tadashi, can you go in the back and fetch me three sugar cubes please. It's in a jar near the sink." Touka put emphasis on the word 'sugar' and Tadashi understood right away.

He made his way behind the bar, and entered the back room through the heavy door. The smell in there was sweet, yet morose. Akane was in there too, washing the cups and placing them face down neatly on the side of the sink. She paid no attention to him, until he reached the glass jar by the cups.

"You're going to die, you know that? I'm not the only ghoul willing to eat you. And you have no official identity on this planet, who else would be willing to take you in? No one." Akane coldly stated, not even looking away from the cup in her hands.

"That's a bit harsh, don't you think?" Tadashi pouted.

"Boy," Akane turned her head around to him, "There are a lot more crueller things in this world. Simply trying to live with ghouls and not turning them in is accountable for punishment to the doves. This world is terrible with no beauty to offer, and if you die, oh well."

The pout on Tadashi's face turned into a frown, and he didn't say anything else. What could he say? He wasn't curious about the pessimist she was. So he ignored her statement, and he spun open the lid, then pulled out three cubes like Touka asked. They were so small in Tadashi's large hands, and he felt the surfaces of them with the finger tips of his other hand. They were rocky, and he lifted to sniff them, surprised by the lack of scent they had.

"Try one. They're satisfying, especially with coffee." Akane suggested.

"They're meant for ghouls." Tadashi responded with hard eyes.

"They could be for anyone if they are brave enough. Are you a coward now, Tadashi? Are you scared?" She taunted.

Instead of replying, Tadashi continued to stare at them, and closed his hand slowly. He turned around, and stomped his way out of the room. Everything that came out of everybody's mouth sounded like it was meant for poetry, and fated poetry typically ended with a tragic. He found Touka greeting a new group of customers, and gave her the cubes without a word.

While walking back to the bar, he noticed eyes directed at him and heard nearly inaudible mumbles scattered around the room. Even Yomo was watching him. Before he took a seat on the stool, he began to feel even smaller. More insignificant and insecure, as if anyone in the room could stomp him if he didn't hide soon. Just like an ant.

Akane marched out of the back room with a rectangular bucket holding the shining cups. She carefully settled it down on the bar, and then stacked them on a shelf hidden to anyone in front of the bar.

"Can I just ask you one thing, Tadashi?"

It was Tadashi's nature to say yes, because there were no harms in simple questions. That was usually how he went with life. So of course he nodded his head.

"If you were given a chance, would you become a ghoul? To survive." Akane's tone was uncharacteristically soft, or maybe that was just a side of her that Tadashi didn't know about.

_I'd think I rather much die_. Was what Tadashi thought, but what he replied with said otherwise, "I guess."

"If you were to given the chance to join the CCG, would you?" And again, Akane finished off her words with a, "To survive."

"Hey, you said you'd ask me only one thing." Tadashi smirked, and crossed his arms. He knew that she was being serious, but he was exhausted from answering questions he didn't want to answer.

Akane didn't say anything else, and went back to organizing the cups and shelves.

It was quiet again, and for some reason, Tadashi felt content with that. With Touka's voice chiming throughout the room, Yomo's constant travel from dirty tables to the bar, and Akane's casual humming. It felt as if he was back at the Lucky Cat Cafe, and perhaps that was why he was so relaxed. At the moment, it was the closest thing to home.

* * *

It was warm in the car, and smelled a bit like lemon. Tadashi sat at the passenger seat, his hands clinging the gray seat belt. Although the car had started, Yomo was still in the café. Tadashi could see him by the glass doors through the rearview mirror. He was speaking to Touka and Akane, serious expression on all of their faces.

To say Tadashi was terrified was an underestimate. The hairs at the back of his neck stood up, and his breathing stopped with every person that walked by the car, for some looked past the tinted glass and right into his eyes. The warmth in the car felt nonexistence as chills ran down his spine, and Tadashi soon found it very hard to seem impassive.

Finally, Yomo exited out the café, and the two girls ran off. Yomo wore a cape, but Tadashi couldn't distinguish what color it was under the dark night sky.

When he got into the car, he glanced at Tadashi, and started to drive out of the parking lot. There weren't many cars out, though Tadashi did notice a few men in suits watching the cars drive by. Yomo paid no attention to them, but Tadashi stared at them while they were still in his view. They also held briefcases tightly, as if all their way of survival was kept in those.

After a bit, Yomo checked on Tadashi and seen how interested he seemed in those people. "Those are the doves. They usually where white lab coats, or jackets, but I guess not tonight." Yomo explained to Tadashi.

"They look scarier than ghouls do." Tadashi mentioned.

"That's what a lot of ghouls think too. However, there are some ghouls that you shouldn't mess with." Yomo said back, and then took a sharp turn into a less populated area.

"Oh, yeah? Like who?" Tadashi wondered.

Yomo thought for a moment, and then stopped the car near a closed store. It wasn't the destination, however it was a good stop for a few seconds. He didn't like to talk and drive very much. No doves were around, nor people in general. Their car's headlights were the only light source down the street. It caused the situation to become even more creepy for Tadashi.

A couple of moments past before Yomo opened his mouth again.

"Let me just tell you one thing, Tadashi, you'll become one of the weakest ones."

* * *

**A/N**: If you didn't get that, you will soon. I plan for the next chapter to introduce how Tadashi's world is taking this in. Also, to the Hide (on ) review, I can't write if Hide is alive or not because I am typing this while also depending on the manga. My story is a subplot, I guess. I hope I get to put some action in this fanfic soon :-) Enough talk.

(✿◠‿◠) **Feedback, please! **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**: Read (if on PC) 3/4 size.

* * *

**Wabi-sabi:** _represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete"_

* * *

**_IN TADASHI'S WORLD_ _(AKA THE WORLD WITHOUT GHOULS)_**

* * *

Hiro laid supine on the bed that wasn't his but Tadashi's, his eyes were closed and his lips rumbled as he exhaled out from his mouth. Within the two weeks Tadashi was labeled missing, Hiro have had cried, not being able to eat, and the thought that Tadashi was truly gone wouldn't leave his head.

"Hiro? I made you a sandwich. But dinner is downstairs too." Aunt Cass told him while walking up the stairs.

Hiro's eyes slowly opened and he nodded his head delicately, although he really had no intention of eating the sandwich. Not only did he lack the appetite to eat, but also the energy to move and pick up the sandwich. It was pathetic, and Hiro knew that. It wasn't something Hiro could get over so easily though, and nowadays, he didn't think he could.

At last, Aunt Cass reached Hiro and placed the plate on the bed by his head gingerly, while picking up the older plate with food still on it. She sighed and used her other hand to ruffle Hiro's unkempt hair. "You need to eat, Hiro." She said, and then walked off. This wasn't the first time it happened, and she finally realized that she couldn't push him to without him getting irritated.

He slowly sat up, and took one small bite off the sandwich. It was the thought of Tadashi being upset with him for not eating that made him eat. For the first time in awhile, Hiro at more than one-fourth of the sandwich. He ate half of it, and then threw it back onto the plate.

His stomach felt full already, and it wasn't just full of small bits of food. It felt like someone had planted a flower in him and it was growing too quickly, not leaving any space for anything else, then rotting.

"It doesn't make any sense." Hiro groaned, pulling at his bangs in frustration. Tadashi wouldn't just decide to run away, and it wasn't logical to get kidnapped in daylight, in a populated building.

When he first learned that Tadashi went missing, it wasn't Aunt Cass or his friends that told him. It was actually Professor Callaghan, who heard a loud boom coming from Tadashi's lab, and when he went to check, the whole room was without Tadashi. Only a few papers scattered, and tools laid messily on a cart.

A cool breeze hit against his skin, and his head jerked to the window behind him. Hiro had forgotten Aunt Cass cracked open the window, saying how fresh air would be good for him. The air did feel nice, but it didn't feel right. The world without Tadashi wasn't a world worth appreciating. That was what Hiro thought.

Suddenly, he heard heavy footsteps by the stairs, and seen his friends come up. Well, more of Tadashi's friends. Wasabi, Honey Lemon, Gogo, and Fred.

"Hey, Hiro." Honey softly greeted. Her hair was up in a neat bun, two long strands left out to adorn the sides of her face. She wore black leggings, a large pink sweater, and flats.

"Hi, guys." Hiro said back, and then scratched the back of his head. They came over to visit him often, but never at the evening.

They took small steps closer to him and made it halfway into the room. Gogo frowned, and crossed her arms. She hated to see him like this, they all did, and she felt like she was going to forget how he seemed like when he wasn't like this. His eyes dimmed even under the bright light hovering over him, and he always looked like he was on the verge of tears. Although none of them had seen him cry except for when the news got out. It absolutely broke their hearts.

His eyes did look swollen though, and his cheeks were pink. It was clear that he was crying not too long ago.

"How you holding up, little man?" Wasabi asked.

Hiro didn't say anything, because if he did, it wouldn't be what he wanted them to know. It wouldn't have had been what they wanted to hear. All he wanted was to sleep a little longer, and hope to wake up to news that Tadashi was found.

"I brought you some comics, just in case you wanted to read some more." Fred informed him, and then walked over to Hiro's desk. He was going to place them where he usually put them, but seen that the previous stack had not been moved ever since Fred gave them to him. "They'll be right here, little man." He said, and put them on top of the other ones anyways.

"Thanks, Fred." Hiro muttered. He didn't want to appear so loathsome and sullen, but he was too tired to put up a smile now.

Fred nodded his head, and walked back over to the group that crowded in the middle of the room now. "Hiro, if I could have one super power right now," the others looked at Fred, expecting something encouraging, but instead Fred finished the sentence with, "It would be the ability to make you finish that sandwich. It smells great."

Gogo smacked the back of his head, and Wasabi rolled his eyes. It was so like Fred to say that, it wasn't even amusing anymore.

Gusts of wind blew into the room, tickling the back of Hiro's neck a little. He cracked a smile for them, and nodded his head, thanking Fred again in a quiet voice. Hiro stared at the others a bit longer, and then an idea popped into his mind. His rough hand scrapped against his forehead as he lifted up his long bangs to look at them better.

They stood in the sun's final minutes of glory, eyes gleaming and small smiles shining in good intentions. The corners of his lips curled up, then he dropped his hand and snapped his fingers. "Guys, we have to go soon!" Hiro exclaimed.

"Go? Go where?" Honey questioned as her eyebrows rose up and her eyes widened.

Fred laughed, "Haha! Gogo. Go where?" And Gogo glared at him.

"To Tadashi's lab." He replied, and then groggily stood up. He bent down and stretched his arms downwards, his hands almost touching the wooden floor.

Everyone looked at each other while Hiro finished up his stretching, not being able to see what his plan was. "Maybe it's for closure." Honey whispered. Gogo glanced back at her, and then shrugged her shoulders. Honestly, everyone besides Hiro believed that there was no chance in finding Tadashi. Even the police admitted that there was no trace of him throughout the whole city of San Fransokyo, and Baymax scanned the whole city with no success. However, no one wanted to be the one to break that down to Hiro. He already seemed broken enough.

"Why exactly?" Wasabi inquired. It wasn't that he didn't want to bring Hiro, he just saw no point in it. "Professor Callaghan also locked his lab shut. Not even we can get in it, unless we have permission, which he won't grant." He added.

"What? Why?" Hiro desperately asked, and then plopped back down onto the bed.

The sound of springs screeched out under Hiro's weight, and he wiggled his shoulders to find comfort on his brother's bed. It still smelled like it just came out of the laundry with a hint of sweat and homemade cologne. It haven't had been washed in weeks because Hiro didn't want it to be cleaned. It would just eliminate the scent of Tadashi. There wasn't enough of him around anymore. "How else am I suppose to find him?" He whined.

Gogo chewed on her bubblegum obnoxiously, and thought about Hiro's request deeply.

"I mean, we don't exactly need permission to get in." She drawled.

"What?" Wasabi frowned, and shook his head quickly in disapproval, envisioning her idea already. "We're not breaking in!" It was like Gogo to be daring, but he didn't think she would be this rash.

"Jeez, you don't have to be involved, I don't care." Gogo countered, and then placed her hands at her hips. "We'll still use your tools though." She told him with a glint in her eyes.

"Oh, come on, Wasabi. To help poor Hiro!" Honey Lemon insisted.

"I will stop telling you about my underwear habits." Even Fred jumped into the conversation, raising his eyebrows at Wasabi with grin on his face.

Despite how upset Hiro felt, he chuckled. The smile on his face widened just a little more, becoming more noticeable to the eyes unlike before. It was the first time in a long time the others had seen him smile like that, or even utter a sound of amusement. It was such a good surprise to everybody, that Wasabi instantly felt the need to help break into the lab to help Hiro.

"Fine, I guess we could do it." Wasabi mumbled.

Gogo tiptoed and cupped her ear with her hand, leaning towards Wasabi. "What was that? I couldn't hear you. Huh? Speak up." She joked.

"I said fine! I guess I'll join in with you." Wasabi exhaled out a huff of air, regretting his words already. The possible outcome was already forming in his head, and it involved Callaghan catching them and they receive explosion from school.

Fred raised his arms, and cheered in the loudest voice he could manage, "We did it, guys!" It caused Hiro to be taken back.

"Heh." Gogo chuckled, and even smirked. Honey Lemon clapped her hands in glee, and squealed in excitement. She was slightly scared, but that was what made it more intriguing.

It was sudden, the emotions forming in Hiro. Hopefulness, appreciation, shock, and love. They made him sort of uncomfortable too, though that was because he had forgotten those types of feelings. Quickly, he got off the bed, and then ruffled his own hair into place. After that, he tugged up his socks tightly onto his feet, to the point of where the shape of his toes were visible. He still looked like a mess, but slightly less messier.

* * *

The sun was dipping below the buildings now, and more than halfway past the horizon of the beaches that they drove by. They sky was a mixture of purple and blue, with a few puffy clouds. Hiro noticed a couple with a young child laughing, and not too far from them were a group of friends starting a bonfire. Everything appeared to be so beautiful that it hurt.

"How can everyone be so happy?" Hiro thought out loud to himself, and pressed his fingers against the cold tinted window.

The others looked back and forth to each other and then Hiro. Not Wasabi though, his eyes never left the road in front of him, but he heard him. SFIT was soon nearing them, the bright neon logo for the night flashed brightly to them, seemingly calling out their name. A few students walked around with heavy books and laptops in their hands, and some teachers were leaving with tired faces.

Within a few minutes, Wasabi parked the mini van in front of the main entrance, and everyone got out of the car quickly. It have had gotten chillier, and the breezes that gently swept against Hiro's cheeks and hands gave him small chills.

"Come on, we have to be quick. Callaghan usually checks the labs during this time." Gogo informed, and then began to walk ahead of everyone.

Wasabi gasped, "What? I forgot about that! Now we're seriously going to get caught, guys!" He hissed.

"Wasabi, believe in us! We got this. Right, Gogo?" Honey Lemon lowered her head to look at the shorter woman. Her large green eyes shimmered under the yellow lights of the main entrance.

"Yeah," Gogo blew a bubble and it pop quickly, "Woman up." She told him with a slight annoyance in her voice.

Hiro walked in-between Fred and Gogo, and picked at his rugged nails under his sleeves. In his dreams these past few nights, Tadashi would come back explaining how he was at a robotics convention, or at a medical camp. Sometimes in the dreams, unfortunately fortunate, Hiro would wake up to Tadashi telling him it was just a bad dream because Hiro had been tossing and turning all night. Or Hiro would walk into the lab like any regular day and see Tadashi working on Baymax. Although now Hiro highly doubt that would happen.

The Ito Ishioka Robotics Lab resided not too far from the entrance, and within ten minutes, they were in front of the illuminating glass building. The area around there appeared to be deserted, with only them walking towards the door. Even the inside as they entered seemed vacant.

"This is suspiciously creepy, and I suggest we just go get some tea and cookies now. Yeah? Who's down?" Wasabi asked, and looked at Honey Lemon with puppy eyes, since she was nodding her head along with him. At the moment, it seemed like the two were the only ones with coherent minds.

Gogo spun her head around and placed her index finger above her lips while hushing him. Then continued walking to their lab. The large doors at the far right were soon in front of all of them, but Wasabi was slowly inching himself away from them.

Hiro latched his hand onto the heavy door, and swung it as one of his legs lifted up. Not one person was in there, but everything was organized. Experiments and projects were neatly placed at where they were supposed to be at. The burning metallic scent from someone's previous work still lingered in the air, and Hiro scrunched up his nose.

"Yeah, smells bad. Mike was working on creating some armor for something." Gogo explained.

"Guys, this is very strange. No one is here, and it's still pretty early." Honey commented, and peeked at almost every corner of the vast room. "Was there a seminar or something?" She inquired.

Wasabi shook his head. "I would have been informed of it if it involved people in our lab." He said.

"It's good that no one is here. It would make it all easier." Hiro told them, and then walked across the room to where the individual labs were located. It was easy to find Tadashi's lab, because Hiro knew where it was at by heart.

Deep in thought, he didn't open the door yet. Not just because it was locked, but because he was beginning to question himself. Was this the right thing for him to do? There must have been a good reason for Callaghan to lock the door and restrict anyone from entering. Maybe it was because he knew Hiro would eventually come entering the room, and see something he wouldn't had wanted to see.

Swallowing the questions he wanted answers to, he stared down at the lock and bit the inside of his cheek. There were no chains tying the two door handles together or anything, it was just the regular card slide and keypad lock.

"Guys, is it suppose to be look this easy?" Fred asked, and scratched the side of his head.

Suddenly, a loud thump came from the room and then a clank. Like something hitting the wall and then falling on the floor. Everyone looked at each other with confused expressions.

"Hello? Is someone in there?" Hiro inquired, leaning towards the door in hope he could see past it. Of course that wasn't possible, and the only response he was given back was complete silence. "What if it's Tadashi?" He gasped, and then called out again, "Hello?" And this time louder. No response again. Very cautiously and eagerly, Hiro reached his hand to the knob, and when he tried to turn it down, there was a click and the door slowly opened up.

The room was dark, and when they walked in, the light flickered on instantly. Just about everything looked the same as it did two weeks ago. Even the smell was the same. As Hiro turned his head left to right to examine the room, and he sort of began to feel sad again. It was gradual, yet sudden, and soon he had to take a seat on Tadashi's swivel chair because the room seemed to be spinning.

It felt like the room was closing in on him, and he had to cover his face with his hands to block out the light that glared in his vision. It was his fault he was beginning to feel this way, for he brought his own hopes up.

"Yo, little man, you okay? I have some tissues, do you need them?" Wasabi worriedly questioned him, already reaching into his pocket to pull on out.

Hiro's breathing was loud, and unsteady. "Is he really gone?" He thought out loud. The pain in his voice was felt by everybody else, and they stared at him with soft eyes. Just a few minutes ago, Hiro was enthusiastic and full of expectations, but as the saying goes, _expectation is the root of all heartache_. And that saying was often right.

As the others carefully surrounded around him, Honey Lemon stopped them from getting too close. "Guys, he needs space. Let him breath!" She shouted and tried to pull Fred and Wasabi by the arms away, whereas Gogo listened to her right away and moved back away from Hiro.

The quietness only lasted for a mere second, because the door clicked shut again. Heads turned around instantly, and seen a tall figure walking past the tinted windows before disappearing off. Their profile silhouette was distinguishable, with a broad nose, and satchel at his left side.

"Tadashi?" Hiro whispered, and jumped off his seat.

"I knew someone else was here!" Wasabi groaned, "And now they're going to tell Callaghan. Hiro, wait!" He yelled, and tried to chase him.

The rest followed behind, however when they made it out the door, Hiro stood quietly in the center of the hallway. The elevator door had just slid shut, and the sound of people entering the other labs could be heard.

"It wasn't him." Hiro mumbled. _It wasn't him, it wasn't him, it wasn't him, and it would never be him. Stupid, stupid. _Those thoughts repeated in his mind, and he wanted to go home. Yet even with all the disappointment he have had came across, Hiro still imagined him coming home and seeing Tadashi panting because he had just ran from SFIT to home.

"Then who was it?" Gogo inquired, and then pulled out a new piece of gum from her pocket.

Hiro pondered on whether or not to tell them what he saw, and shrugged his shoulders. It wasn't much information always, he only saw light blue rolled up sleeves and a brown watch. Familiar look, but he didn't want to spend time on figuring out on who it was exactly.

"Let's go home, buddy. We can get some hot dogs, on Wasabi." Fred told him while patting Hiro's back roughly.

It wasn't the right time for Wasabi to refuse, so he didn't say anything and simply waited for Hiro's response. If he wanted to get hot dogs, Wasabi would buy as much as he wanted. Before he wasn't missing Tadashi as bad as everybody else was, because he believed in him, but now the thought that Tadashi would never come back home had occurred to him stronger than it ever had.

"I want to go back home and sleep, it's getting late soon anyways. We can do that later though." Hiro said and forced a smile.

That sad smile was so memorable that Fred even felt an ache in his chest when he seen it. Hiro was typically passive, not showing much of a reaction whether good or bad. So when his response to the whole situation so far weren't screaming out of frustration with tears, and rather a smile holding them back, everyone could see that Hiro was broken beyond repair. Even if he was miraculously fixed, he wouldn't be put back together as the same person from before.

And that was one of the greatest tragedies of all.

* * *

(✿◠‿◠) **Feedback, please! **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**: Read (if on PC) 3/4 size.

* * *

**Wabi-sabi:** _represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete"_

* * *

"Uh, huh. Okay." Yomo muttered with the phone pressed against his cheek. Right after he started to drive again, he called someone and they had been on the phone ever since. "How much again?" Then there were was a short static statement from the phone, and Yomo cursed under his breath.

The atmosphere in the car was overwhelming, and the fact that Tadashi hadn't seen anyone besides themselves in a while made it all worse.

"Yeah, it'll be at your house, if you don't mind." Another long static voice responding and Tadashi could feel the car getting hotter.

"Okay, thank you. I will see you then, Uno. Bye." Yomo said, and then the phone snapped shut. The car was silent, and to Tadashi, the silent was awkward, but to Yomo, it was casual. Tadashi frantically looked back and forth between Yomo and the car handle. He pondered on whether to jump out or not, but concluded that jumping out was a bigger risk than what was already planned.

"I talked to him, and he said he would do it early in the morning, when the sun is barely rising." Yomo said, and then took a U-turn down the empty street. "Which means you get a few more hours to be as you are." He added.

Tadashi checked the time in the car, and gulped. It was nearly midnight, which meant they had been driving longer than they thought. He only had about five hours left, yet he had no actual way to spend it. There was no source of joy for him, and he couldn't spend his time roaming the city without the fear of a ghoul catching him.

"I don't want to become a ghoul." Tadashi whispered, and drew in a deep, shuddering breath.

"Well, I can stop the car and you can walk off right now." And that was what Yomo did. He abruptly parked the car by the sidewalk and a light from the alley flickered on. "We're doing this for you, but if you can live in this world by yourself, feel free. Get eaten." Yomo's voice was monotone like always, so Tadashi wasn't sure how he was supposed to react.

In the end, Tadashi didn't move. Either way, it was a lose-lose. Both of his choices involved death on some level; the death of who use to be, or the death of who he will be.

"Okay then, let's go back home. You can rest, and make sure you don't eat, you're not suppose to eat before surgery." Yomo informed him, although Tadashi already knew. There was no appetite in him to eat anyways, Tadashi was starving but the thought of food disgusted him because he couldn't get the image of a ghoul eating a human out of his head.

Then, it occurred to him that soon that would be him. His eyes widened, shivers ran down him and the hair at the back of his neck stood up. "Will I have to eat..." He couldn't finish his sentence, and had to stop himself for gagging. When his eyes moved away from outside the window and to his hands, everything seemed to get blurry. "_Please_ don't turn _me_ into something I'm not." He begged, and then brought his hands to his face. His face went pink as hot tears trailed down his face, causing his palms to become wet. Everything was too much for him here, he rarely cried but in this world, it seemed like the only thing he had been doing.

Yomo didn't say anything, however he lowered the heat, and clicked the play button below the CD player. The song was something Tadashi wasn't use to hearing, starting with a guitar, then a low voice sang.

"_Machi wa nemuredo tatemono wa zutto kensetsuchuu sa._"

It was a depressing song, and Tadashi usually listened to pop, hip hop, or rap even. The more Tadashi listened to it, trying his best to keep up with the Japanese lyrics, the more he felt connected to it. With his hands still on his face, he gave out a smoother, yet still slightly unsteady breath. He didn't want to move his hands away because that meant he would come back to the reality he was facing.

He was going to become a ghoul, and he was going to become like all the others in this world. _Monster, monster, monster. _A repetition in his mind with the sole purpose to only remind him that was what he would soon be like. Within the several minutes he had his hand down, Yomo had stopped driving and sat there without glancing at Tadashi.

The windows had fogged, and Yomo lowered the heat and put up the volume of the music. It was a new song, and just as depressing. The digital clock seemed brighter than before, revealing that it was midnight.

"Come on, it's late now. It's going to get dangerous soon." He mentioned, and then started to drive again.

Then, there it was. A cry in the night, not too far from the car. A few more howls followed, and Tadashi had difficulty swallowing his spit. What could have had been happening right then seemed far too unimaginable for Tadashi. Fortunately, they were getting close to the cafe, only being a mile or two away.

"Ever since an incident a year ago, the doves have become more active for some reason. So maybe those are the screams of a ghoul getting killed by a dove." Yomo informed him.

"What happened a year ago?" Tadashi asked.

Yomo frowned, and Tadashi regretted asking the question. But then Yomo answered anyways, with the frown still on his face, "A lot of good ghouls died one night in a raid to fight off the doves. We seen it coming, and knew how it was going to end, so some of us managed to escape." There was something off about his tone that made Tadashi actually give sympathy to him. "But don't ask me about it, ask anyone else but me." He ordered in his regular voice.

Finally, they arrived to the cafe. All the lights were off, even the upstair lights. Not even the moonlight penetrated through the black glass. Tadashi thought that was their home, but it seemed like it was empty of life at the moment. Before he could ask about that, Yomo parked the car in front of the cafe sign and examined their surroundings. It was quiet, but too quiet.

"Is everything okay?" Tadashi asked, not unbuckling his seatbelt whereas Yomo already had his hand to the door handle.

Usually, the cafe would leave one dim light on. An old trick in business, it would make it seem like someone was in there already and ward off danger such as robbers. But there was not one light in sight throughout the whole plaza. If it had anything to do with doves, Yomo wasn't sure he was exactly prepared.

"Stay in the car, and keep your head down." He told Tadashi in a low voice, and then he got out of the car. The doors clicked as he locked them, and he glanced back once before walking off.

Tadashi did as told, and duck his head below the window level. He wanted to close his eyes, yet they stayed open just in case. He was afraid that if they opened up after closing, he would see something right in front of him. A ghoul, perhaps. There was no possible way a ghoul could manage its way into the car, unless there was one already in there.

"Oh my god." He whispered, and he lifted up his head to check around it. Maybe it was just him being paranoid, however he felt eyes staring at him from somewhere.

Outside of the car, Yomo carefully walked past the cafe, and checked on the other buildings. His vision scanned everywhere, not missing one crack between the buildings or the spaces under the car. After a few minutes, he reached the last building. There was one light on by the counters, and his eyes noticed a shadow below the light. Despite knowing it was locked, he tried to open the doors anyways. The door shook, the wind chimes sang, and the shadow scurried out of the light.

Their head poked out slowly from behind the cabinet, and when they seen it was Yomo, they rushed over to the door. It was a petite girl, frightened and bewildered.

"Yomo!" She cried out, grabbing him by the zipper and jumping. "The ghouls came! They came, and they took someone walking around." She blubbered, "They were so close to my store. Papa went on a business trip, so mama didn't know what to do. She fainted behind the counter."

Yomo stared down at her, thinking of what to do next. He knew something was wrong, and knew that whatever was wrong was still around. A regular ghoul wouldn't attack this territory, it wasn't common, since they knew what ghouls resided there. Akane, for example. Akane was prominent in this ward, and maybe in others too. She was daring, sadistic, and she loved to eat. Another Rize, as some may say.

He placed a finger over her opened lips to hush her, feeling another presence not too far from them. His eyes moved to the left of him, because the sound of something shuffling on the pavement reached his ears. Suddenly, he pushed the girl away and lifted up his arm, as bullets of hard blood darted towards him. Although they penetrated through his sleeve and almost threw his skin, he soon healed. He rushed halfway to the car, and stopped when his car alarm went off, and a deep scream echoed throughout the area.

"I'll go call authorities right away, Yomo!" The girl assured, and then rushed to the back room.

A lanky woman wearing a mask in the shape of a butterfly stood on the roof of the car. Her pink dress was wrinkled, and tainted with rusty red stains. Her black hair was tied up in a small bun, and there was some blood on their mask and lips. Two tentacle claws summoned from behind, wiggling as desired. In one of their arms was Tadashi, frantically trying to wiggle out. He kept screaming, until one of the tentacles went up and pierced him through the torso. Blood sputtered out of his mouth, and he weakly looked at Yomo.

As much as Yomo wanted to help, he knew that there were people around still. Doves would soon rush over, and he couldn't be caught trying to fight a ghoul. It was either saving himself, or Tadashi.

"Don't worry, Yomo-san. We won't kill him, for now. Although you don't look one bit concerned, don't worry about your precious friend. He'll be safe with us." The person laughed in a shrilly voice, while the tentacle pulled out of Tadashi's body.

"We?" He mumbled, and then jumped back when more blood bullets rushed past him. This time they were quicker. Another person jumped down from a nearby tree, and shook their head. It was a female, wearing a small mask that only covered her lower face. Her eyes were visible, along with her long, red hair. Purple wings at her shoulders, slowly fading away as she walked closer.

"Let's go already! This guy isn't worth it. Come on." She demanded, and switched directions, going the opposite way of Yomo. "I can hear the doves coming. They're nearing." She informed.

The lanky ghoul smirked, and then took a stab through the roof of the car. "Think of this as a gift, Yomo. We're taking away some troublesome human for you. A gift from the K!" She said. When she pulled back her kagune and leaped off the car, dashing behind the other woman. Yomo was going to chase after them, but heavy footsteps marched loudly towards the plaza. It was all too late though, the two people had already gotten far now, running away, and the doves didn't seem to notice them.

Quickly, Yomo ran off to the back of the cafe before they could finally come. The back door was unlocked, and he managed his way in silently. The car alarm was still going off, so he threw his cape to the side, and already knew what he was going to do. He ran out the front doors, and pulled his hair.

"My car!" Yomo bellowed with wide eyes and furrowed eyebrows. Touka and Akane had also ran out behind him, along with a group of people. The group of people ran to the doves, as if they offered the best protection from danger.

An old man in a white lab suit rushed over, with a briefcase and notepad in his hands. Others followed behind him, and examined the car with cameras and forensic tools. While the man explained the situation to the three, storekeepers fled out of their stores and also to the investigators. "So, a lady called about seeing someone get kidnapped by ghouls," his voice was drowned out by humans crying and shouting.

It was late at night, so even the investigators were cranky. They shouted back, and sent people back home with a half-hearted promise to capture the ghouls.

"Do you have any clues of the ghouls' appearances?"

Yomo shook his head quickly, trying to act like he was still in stress, when really he didn't care much about his car. He could always get a new one, he knew his ways and had connections. "My car! I just went to check on the girl a few stores down, and ran back to check on my friends when I saw a ghoul or someone walking towards me. Next thing you know, my car alarm is going off!" He snapped. Behind him, the two women shook their heads in disappointment.

"We were trying to protect everyone, we seen drunk walkers pass by and told them to hide in the cafe. Yomo, at least only the car was damaged. Don't be so selfish." Akane said, and then spun around to check on the humans. She held her chin high with a prideful smirk, and not because she and Touka apparently saved the humans, but because she didn't let herself take a bite of one. Lately, she had been craving human flesh terribly.

Mostly everyone was calming down, except for Touka. She turned her head, and sniffed the air for his scent, trying to search for a certain black haired human. Once she realized that he was not around the plaza or even street, she tapped Yomo's shoulder while he answered the investigator's questions.

"Noda-sama, we found some blood on the car hood and some on the pavement!" Someone called out to the investigator. The man excused himself with an apology, and scurried over to the scene. He knew right away from years of experience that the blood came from a human, and it was still fresh. Yomo didn't mention anyone outside besides him and the ghouls, so who could it had been exactly?

A lump formed in Akane's throat when she overhead the conversation between the investigators with her keen sense of hearing. The three ghouls listened to them speak all at once, yet tried to still be in character. Akane and Touka chatted, and Yomo groaned every now and then.

"That's a lot of blood, Noda-sama. A large pool of it right by the medium sized hole on the hood, and a few saliva and blood coming west from the pool. As if the human coughed up the blood, most likely from internal bleeding at their upper body. A stab, maybe?" The doves were faster now, they concluded that so quick, it even surprised Yomo. They wiped the blood on a towel and threw the towel into a bag. Soon, only Noda and a few investigators were left at the plaza.

"One large stab to result an immediate pool of blood..." Noda mumbled, pensively rubbing his chin, "That rules out a ukaku ghoul then, and I don't feel like it's a koukaku. If anything, it's a rinkaku, I can feel it." He concluded.

"Noda-sama, we can't just jump into conclusions like that, it's not wise to." A plump investigator countered.

No more words were exchanged, and Noda waved his hands, as if dismissing the comment and the investigator himself. Which was what did happen, the others went away, leaving the old man by himself. He gingerly went over to Yomo, and inhaled through his teeth. "Sorry about your car, we'll catch the ghouls soon. I promise." He told them with soft eyes, the brownness of them gleaming under the streetlights. For a dove, he was surprisingly kind.

"Noda-sama! Come on, we must return to the lab soon." Someone shouted from across the street.

Before Noda ran off, he placed a business card in Yomo's hand. His soft hand surprised Yomo's callous one, and Yomo suddenly felt nostalgic. The old man smiled at Yomo one last time, and jogged away to the rest of the investigators. When he was gone, Yomo checked out the card. The logo of a auto car repair shop was at the top, and the name Noda, Katsu below it, along with business information. It must have been his son's shop.

"Where is Tadashi, Yomo?" Touka questioned once it was peaceful again.

On the other hand, Akane yawned, and raised her arms to stretch. She didn't care much about Tadashi, only seeing him as prey gone missing, and there were plenty other meals for her in the world. It wasn't like she was insensitive either, Akane merely didn't want to waste her time again. "I'm tired, man. All this saving tires me out, let's go inside already. I'm hungry too." She complained in a whiny voice, although she had recently ate.

"The ghouls took him, Touka." Yomo answered in calm voice .

It was a funny thing, how unexpectedly sad she felt. It was strange that she was concerned over him, since she sworn to not get worried so easily over people. All the anxious uneasiness had never done her any good, and she was tired of the bad. However, Tadashi had just came into a new world world, and especially a terrible one too. In her eyes, she viewed him like a child just experiencing reality. If anything, Touka was feeling regretful. Despite not knowing him that much, she felt like she could've known him well.

The next question that came out of Touka's mouth surprised everyone, including herself. "Are we going to save him?" She asked.

Akane groaned, and threw her hair back behind her shoulder with an annoyed expression. "If you guys do, I'm not going. That crybaby is just food." She grunted, and then walked back over to the cafe doors. She didn't go back in though, instead she turned around and planted her feet firmly. She only wanted a reason from Touka as to why she wanted to save Tadashi. Then, she could go to sleep peacefully.

"Why though?"

Yomo also wanted to know, and crossed his arms while waiting for Touka's response. He hadn't decided on saving Tadashi or not either, but maybe Touka's answer could persuade an answer for him.

"Eh? I don't have to justify myself!" Touka stammered. She felt like the question was so sudden, and couldn't think of a sufficient answer in time. Actually, after a couple of moments, she realized that she didn't have an answer. Or maybe it was that she didn't want to face the answer, didn't want to know why exactly she was going this.

It was getting windier, and police sirens blared from a few blocks down. It wasn't a signal that the ghouls were found though, they knew that those ghouls wouldn't get caught so easily. So they paid no mind to it, and Akane and Yomo went back to waiting for Touka's answer.

As Akane grew impatient, she tapped her foot and grunted something inaudible.

"What was that?" Touka questioned, turning her head to the side to look at Akane. For a moment, she swore she heard something she didn't want to hear. An assumption to the question.

"I said history is just going to repeat itself." She said, and then spun around, and stomped her way into the cafe. It wasn't typical for her to get this upset, especially over an unanswered question. Even if she was an impatient person. Touka frowned in disapproval, Akane was acting so childish for someone nearly twenty three years old.

Yomo gestured his head to the door, and silently followed Akane. Eventually, Touka did the same and went inside. She could feel the night just growing colder by the minute.

Inside the cafe, Akane set up the one dim lamp by the bar, and then watched it flicker on as she placed the plug in the outlet. The dim light illuminated her cheekbones, and caused her light green eyes to glow. Yomo had a small smile on his face, but it couldn't be seen because he was far from the light. He was walking in the darkness up the stairs, and didn't look back, he had a phone call to make.

After Touka locked the doors, she was going to follow behind him, however a hand grabbed her at her wrist. When she seen who it was, she frowned again and knew what was going to be said instantly.

Akane didn't look that upset like she previously was, instead she seemed apologetic. "Touka, I'm sorry to put you on the spot like that." She started, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, though it slowly slipped out again. "I just don't understand why you want to save him. I have my assumptions but, I don't know, maybe I'm just overthinking. Forget it." She had gotten flustered, and didn't want to talk anymore.

"No, what was it? Say it." Touka insisted.

"I feel like he'll become another Kaneki to you. I don't want to see you sad again." Akane admitted, refusing to look at Touka.

The frown on Touka's face was gone, and she offered a small smile instead. With the year that Akane and Touka were currently sharing, she learned that despite how cruel and destructively angry Akane was sometimes, she could be just as kind. The smile was a surprise to Akane, because Touka usually got quiet and upset at Kaneki being mentioned. So Akane shook her head, chuckling weak at herself.

"Sorry." Akane whispered, "Don't pay attention to that. Just forget about it. I won't bring it up again." The insults and complaints were at the tip of her tongue still, but for Touka, she bit her tongue until it bled, just so Touka wouldn't get upset again. Although she was older, Akane admired Touka. After all, she did save her from almost dying. In her eyes, Touka was almost like a guardian angel, just not assigned to one person. "Are you going to try to save Tadashi the way you saved me?" She asked.

Touka didn't respond any further, and kept her smile. Then she went to the stair steps, and was going to take her first step up but stopped halfway when Akane called out her name. She gently placed her foot back down on the floor, and turned her head to Akane, who hadn't moved from her spot yet.

"If you do go save him, I guess I'll go. But only to help!" She exclaimed, and then scratched her cheek with her index finger. "But only to help you two, I don't care about him." She added.

Now, the smile on Touka's face was sincere. She wanted to giggle, but she just gulped it down knowing it would only make Akane feel more embarrassed. That woman hated nothing more than to admit the truth, especially when it made her appear soft. "Of course." Touka said, and then finally went up the steps. 

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**A/N:** I will no longer depend on the current arc in Tokyo Ghoul:re manga (the Nutcracker/Action Arc) after this chapter, although Sasaki/Kaneki and his team will still be included (of course!) Hope you enjoyed this chapter, man, I'm just waiting for the thrill to come now!

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(✿◠‿◠) **Feedback, please! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N**: Read (if on PC) 3/4 size.

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**Wabi-sabi:** _represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete"_

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It was dark, and worse than that, it was also cold and the room smelled like blood and weak perfume too. Tadashi didn't know how long he had been in there, but his stomach growled often and he soon hated the taste in his mouth. The metal chair he sat on was moist from the constant sweating, and his arms tried to wiggle free from the rope burning his wrists. Sometimes, he heard footsteps from outside the room, though he couldn't figure out which directions they came from. Above him? Below him? Right behind his back? Either way, he was too exhausted to worry.

The last time he slept seemed too long ago for him to remember. And every time he attempted to sleep, the footsteps would wake him up or he would have a nightmare. His nightmares were terrifying, but they couldn't compare to his reality. Which was another reason why he lost sleep.

His whole body ached in unbearable pain. Where he was pierced through at the abdomen was poorly bandaged, so he was positive an infection was growing there. The scrambling feeling of his legs falling asleep caused his to release a croaking groan. His throat was sore from all the shouting, and the most he could move was his head, fingers, and toes.

Many times he thought of killing himself, that was just how depressing it was. If Tadashi pushed the chair back just a little, which was possible but required a lot of feet strength, he could reach a concrete wall. He tried it once, but felt a bug crawling along the wall and shuffled away. Perhaps if he went to the wall again, he could bang his head against the wall until he received serious head trauma. It was just an idea though, and he couldn't act upon it without the thought of Hiro coming into mind.

How does home keep him sane, when home was worlds away? It felt like there was a slim, to zero chance of him ever returning. He would most likely die out from starvation and illness soon anyways. It didn't look like any help was coming soon either, which just caused Tadashi to become bitter, although there was no reason for him to be. He knew no one in the city that believed he was someone worth saving, after all, he was merely meal to them. That was what he thought, or was growing to believe.

"Open it now, that geezer isn't going to wait forever." For the first time, someone spoke in an orotund voice.

A hopeful gasp escaped from Tadashi's mouth, even if he didn't know who the people were. He ignored the bad intuition at his ribcage, and eagerly leaned forward, towards the direction of the voice.

There were a few clicks and clanks, and then a loud creak as the door opened up. The faint lamp out at the corridor even caused Tadashi's eyes to squint in pain. It was the brightest thing he had seen after all the time he spent in the room, and despite it hurting a little, he forced his eyes to widen. There were two people at the door, the taller one soon blocking the light as they walked closer.

"Ayato, I think this is a boy. You're a male?" The man inquired, and when he got closer, Tadashi found himself pushing against his chair. The other man's eyes were abnormally large, and he looked gaunt.

The other person took a step closer into the room, revealing more of himself to Tadashi. He appeared to be a few years younger than Tadashi, with average height, blue hair, and wearing a long, black coat jacket, along with black boots. He wore so much black, he appeared to be blending with the shadows in Tadashi's blurry vision. Another thing Tadashi noticed was that he oddly reminded Tadashi of someone else he knew.

"Touka?" Tadashi muttered, and then leaned forward so much he almost lost balance and fell. Before he could, the lanky man caught him, and pushed him back into place.

Ayato tsk-tsked at her name, and crossed his arms. "I hope when we transform you, you will learn to hate her name. Hurry up, Karao." He demanded with a bitter tone. The way he spoke surprised Tadashi. When Tadashi's eyes finally adjusted to the light, he recognized the red on Ayato's hands, and at his neck. It didn't take long for him to realize that they weren't there to save him exactly.

"W-Where are you guys taking me?" Tadashi quaked as Karao untied the ropes at his ankles and wrists.

"Wherever we want to take you." Ayato replied, and then started walking out the door.

When the ropes dropped to the ground, Tadashi rubbed the rope bruises on his skin, pressing down at the imprints. He gotten so use to the pain, the severe bruises barely made him flinch. The real infliction of the ropes came when they forced him to follow the two, limping with swollen ankles and asleep feet. With each step, his knees would wobble, about to give out.

The walk went on for what seemed like forever. They went up many stairs, past boarded up windows, and down long corridors. Sometimes when they walked by a door, and there weren't many, he could hear a mutter or groan, which sent chills down his spine. Where were they? The more they walked, the more it seemed like they were just getting further from the outside, even if there were windows right at Tadashi's side.

For a long time, Tadashi thought they were just going to walk forever, just to torture him. The pain and moving exasperated him, causing him to stop walking at one point. He leaned against the wall for support, but couldn't bring himself to move. He was too overworked, and the thought of moving any further sort of made him want to die.

"What? You're done walking already?" Ayato scoffed, and then walked over to him.

Just when it looked like he was going to help him, Ayato nudged his elbow into Tadashi's rib with so much force, Tadashi swore he felt a rib puncture his lungs. He gasped, bending down and clutching his mid-torso, and then tried to steady his breathing. So far on the walk, he hadn't cried yet, and he wasn't going to now. It made him feel weak when he was constantly whimpering.

"Oh my god." He moaned, and then stiffly stood up straight. For a second, he thought he couldn't breathe, but he exhaled out a shaky breath, and put his hand on the wall for support.

Ayato chuckled, and all three of them resumed their walking.

Within the next twenty minutes, the silence filled with Tadashi's nearly suppressed whimpering, and his heavy footsteps. It began to bother Ayato, so he stopped his walking and spun around. He had to turn his head up to meet Tadashi eye to eye, and his eyebrows knitted together.

"Look, the most I gave you was a bad bruise. The others could give you a lot worse. Suck it up, stop crying and keep walking. It's going to get a lot worse for you if you don't." He threatened, while Karao snickered behind him. Tadashi didn't mutter a sound for the rest of the time, and Karao kept glancing back to check on him.

Gradually, they reached large metal doors, and they swung open when Ayato pushed them with little to no force. The lighting from the room was bright, almost white and blinding to Tadashi's eyes. He closed his eyes for a couple of seconds, but within those seconds, someone pushed him far into the room and the doors slammed shut. Instantly, he opened his eyes and turned around. Ayato and Karao stood firmly in front of the doors, arms crossed, although Karao seemed like he was dazing off.

The room wasn't as big as Tadashi expected, and maybe it was because of the white bed and large table covered by a beige blanket taking most of the space in the middle of the room. After he stared long enough at the two items, he noticed shapes under the thin blanket on the table. Some of the shapes were easily distinguished as opened scissors, a spoon, or a saw.

"Ah, sorry for the wait. How impolite of me." An unfamiliar man entered the room behind Tadashi. He was an old man, with eyes color similar to Tadashi's, and a gentle smile. He wore a white lab coat while holding a silver briefcase, and Tadashi wanted to assume he was a dove, but something told him that wasn't the case. "I'm Professor Kanou. Are you ready?" He asked.

"Huh?" Tadashi grunted, and then looked at Ayato for possible help.

Ayato smirked, meaning he knew something Tadashi didn't. "Good luck." He mouthed, seeing that Kanou was walking off to the bed and table.

With the most soft voice possible while also sounding serious, Kanou spoke, "Come on, boy. We'll finish this the quicker you get on this bed. Ayato, what's his name?" He inquired, while pulling the blanket off the table and throwing it onto the tiled floor. The tools were revealed to Tadashi, and he immediately rushed to the doors, forgetting the two men blocking it.

Their arms stretched out, blocking the doors completely, and even Ayato's eyes turned into those ghoul eyes that Tadashi so desperately wish he never had to see. It meant that things could get dangerous. "The two girls said they didn't find any ID on him. Ask him what his name it." Ayato said.

"Ayato, no need to bring our your kakugan out. He's already scared enough, just get him to come over here right now." Kanou commanded, becoming impatient. "You'll be anesthetized, anyways. It'll be over before you know it. Also, make sure you get undressed. No clothing on during the surgery." He added. The implements for anesthesia were already set up, and he adjusted carefully.

That request was too embarrassing for Tadashi, he was a modest person and preferred not to do such things before strangers. And particularly ones that have had been ridiculing him the whole time he knew them.

"Do I have to?" Tadashi groaned. No one replied, so he knew that they weren't joking and had no intent on being playful with him. First he kicked off his shoes and socks. Then slowly, he reached at the hem of his shirt, and pulled it up and over his head. Not looking down, he unzipped his pants, and they dropped to the ground, only leaving him in his boxers. This was where he got uncomfortable, fidgeting at the band of the boxers, not wanting to pull them down. Karao watched him with an anticipated look, whereas Ayato stared off to the side. Finally, Tadashi closed his eyes and dropped his boxers.

"Those girls did not bandage you well at all. I guess I'll also tend those." Kanou smiled, and patted the bed. Tadashi didn't move. All Ayato needed to do was take a heavy step forward for Tadashi to be walking over to the table. How pathetic, how weak of him. Tadashi stopped moving right in front of the bed, and had to be pushed roughly but not hard enough to fall on the bed to get himself on. Kanou slipped on a pair of elastic gloves, holding the mask connected to the breathing circuit in one hand, and an IV in the other.

Tadashi gulped, and tried to stop himself from jumping off the bed. He had no choice now. "Wouldn't an endotracheal tube be more effective?" Tadashi asked. All he wanted was to not deal with anything for a long time. It was cold in the room, and that was probably because he was completely naked. Goosebumps popped up all over his skin, and he shyly brought his hands over his member.

"Yes, but I left almost all my proper equipments at the main lab." Kanou answered. "At least I've got this though, give me your arm." He was holding an IV connected to something behind his back.

In a rigid motion, Tadashi flipped his arm over, and he felt a quick pinch at the crook of his elbow. Fortunately, Tadashi majored also in medicine, allowing him to be a little more at ease with everything. So far, it seemed to be going the way he studied back at SFIT.

"It'll be over before you know it." He assured, and placed the mask over Tadashi's face.

Instantly Tadashi felt a tingly sensation, and extremely sleepy. While he was losing conscious, Kanou opened up the briefcase. Inside weren't what Tadashi expected to see in his blurry vision, which were tools and maybe some medicine. Instead, inside were sack-like organs. However, Tadashi couldn't react because soon his eyes were fully shut and he lost conscious.

* * *

In another room somewhere deep in the building, two women and a man discussed while eating raw meat. Specifically, human meat. The room was lit by a few candles, and they had opened the window since it was a full moon that night.

"Alright, Maiko, enough talking about yourself. You two still haven't told me what your mission was from last week, and why there's a human down in the basement that we can't eat. C'mon, spit it out." Iwao said, placing his two tan hands on each side of his cleaned plate. He had the largest meal, yet there was not one stain on his clothing, his face, or on his hands.

Maiko grimaced at him, and continued to eating grumpily, waiting for her partner to answer instead. Momo tucked a long strand of wavy red hair behind her ear, although it slowly slipped out to the front of her face again. "Nothing, Ayato asked us to capture some random human for an experiment for Professor Kanou. We saw him, so we took him. That's it." Momo answered.

"Another experiment? I heard that Kanou's last one failed. What did he try to do again? Try to make a human have two kagunes? Isn't that like that Hinami girl in Aogiri Tree?"

Maiko rolled her eyes, and threw a small piece of meat at Iwao. "You ask too many damn questions." She hissed, but Momo slapped her on the back of her head.

"That isn't the problem, that is how people learn. Also, Iwao, it's Master Yotsume, and she does have more than one kagune. So, yes that is what he tried to do." Her voice got quieter the more she spoke, "And the human ended up starving and bleeding to death, I heard." They weren't supposed to talk about those things so freely, since Ayato got annoyed when information broke out.

"Ah, I see." He replied, and took a gulp of what masqueraded to be deep red wine. "But what makes Kanou want to try again?" He asked.

"We didn't say he was going to do the same thing, but if he is, I trust he will do it good." Momo told him with a small smile, and then also took a sip of her drink. The warmth of the bloody red liquid ran down her throat, and she licked her lips. For someone who appeared so elegant, Maiko and Iwao knew better than to cross her.

Iwao nodded his head, and ran out of more questions to ask. At first, he thought that their business was to actually come up with something amazing for once. Aogiri Tree looked down on them, even though they were a subgroup of the organization. He tried to focus on positive things for the night, so he drank all his drink, and poured himself another glass.

The drink didn't help him though, and he frowned deeply. "You two are the best partners here, getting all the good missions. My partner died by a dove! Imagine that. We were just out on a mission, an important one too, then those annoying birds come out. Luckily, I managed to escape, but to believe I was paired up with someone so weak." He ranted.

"Hey, weren't you and your partner good friends though? You and him had a lot of fun together." Maiko commented while licking her plate clean.

"I guess he had a few good jokes." Iwao shrugged.

"They lack the bond we have, Maiko." Momo added, and then smiled fondly at Maiko.

Iwao chuckled and watched as Maiko grunted at her, making Momo's gracious expression flip around into a frown. The two were opposites of each other, which made it even more funny and heartwarming to him. The two had known each other long before Aogiri Tree formed, and sometimes people assumed they were complete enemies. Maiko was ill-tempered, hot-headed, and loud, whereas Momo was collected, and sophisticated.

The two were completely different people, yet they both acted like typical siblings sometimes. That was rare among the ghouls, especially their kind of ghouls. One that moved out of self-interest, and had no intent of caring for another person.

"But can I get a sip of your drink? I drank mine all already." Maiko told her, "And I really have no idea what bond you're talking about."

"Don't act like you never called me oneechan at one point." Momo laughed, stuck her tongue out at Maiko for a second, and then almost drank all her 'red wine' in one large gulp.

"Jeez, you're so irritating." Maiko retorted, and then rolled her eyes, "I didn't want a drink anyways. For all we know, you could backwash."

Instead of countering back, Momo laughed, and slid her wine cup over to Maiko. At first, it seemed like Maiko was pushing it away, but she picked it up and twirled the liquid by spinning the cup. Then she drank the last of it, licking her lips when she placed it down. "Ugh! I can taste the backwash!" She joked. It actually tasted great.

The wind howled over the roof and walls of the building, causing the blinds of the window to shake. The chilliness didn't bother the three ghouls though, for they were too busy drinking and joking around. As if it were their last.

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All eyes on Tadashi as his toes curled and Kanou sweat dripped onto his skin. Karao was falling asleep as he sat on the floor, snoring softly and mumbling a few things here and there, while Ayato picked at his finger nails. The surgery had been going on for hours now, and the once white bed was now in shades of red and pink.

"Almost done." Kanou whispered, and then dabbed his forehead with a dirty napkin by Tadashi's feet. A few times, it seemed like Tadashi's blood pressure wasn't right, and that his body wouldn't cooperate, but those times passes and he was almost finished.

Ayato shook his head as he thought to himself. Out of all the humans Maiko and Momo chose randomly, they selected one connected to Touka. He honestly thought he finished with associating with her, despite always watching her from afar. He hated her, despised her motives in life and never wanted to live along with the likes of her, but he had a promise to keep. He may have been a harsh person, but he was no promise breaker.

It was unfortunate for Tadashi that Ayato discovered that he knew Touka. And when he muttered her name earlier in the basement, Ayato could tell he didn't hate her. Tadashi sounded hopeful, which made Ayato's hatred for Tadashi grow even more too. As much as he enjoyed letting the new people come in easy with just a few bruises and small cuts, he was going to love torturing Tadashi whenever he could.

"Done!" Kanou exclaimed, and then stood straight up while wiping his forehead again. The hours had seemed so long and daring, so finishing up made Kanou grin with pride. He removed the mask, did something with his back turned and Ayato couldn't see, and then placed the mask back on him.

"About time." Ayato grunted, and ran his hand down his hair. Then he reached down and smacked Karao's head lightly, becoming rougher the louder Karao snored and groaned. "Wake up, Kanou's done, wake up!" Ayato shouted, and was going to kick his head until he woke up with a howling yawn. While Karao groggily got up, Ayato still didn't put his foot down just in case.

"Is the boy alive this time? Or will we have to look for another person, hopefully a woman." Karao said.

"He's living at the moment, it just all depends on whether he wants to survive now." Kanou responded. Kanou threw his gloves on the table, and sat on the foldable chair by Tadashi's feet. He held his head down, and rubbed his hands together. It was so hot in room, and despite his success, he was also tired. "Help me clean this room. This will be his recovery room too. He'll be resting here for now, so order someone to watch over him once we're done." He told them.

When Kanou said to help them clean the room, Ayato snapped his fingers at Karao and pointed at the operating area. There was no way he was going to help clean up, Kanou was lucky enough to even have him at the moment. Usually, the K was just a small group of less than sixty ghouls used to help carry out experiments or capture and torture people for Aogiri Tree. There were a few strong people there, but Aogiri Tree considered majority of them as weak, including Ayato.

With a heavy sigh, Karao dragged himself to Kanou. The first thing he did was stare at Tadashi's naked body, noticing all the stitches and scars on it, and then brought his hand to touch a scar but immediately stopped. The only person he wanted to meet was that kid, the one with the eyepatch that he met back before he joined Aogiri Tree.

"Aright then! I'll be back soon to check on him." Kanou pushed himself off the chair, and then went to his briefcase. He shut it and locked it, checking on Tadashi once more before walking away from him and to the door. Ayato moved aside with an annoyed look while he exited the room.

Ayato was supposed to be the superior one in the building, but it seemed like Kanou deserved more respect than he did. He could kill Kanou anytime he wanted, did Kanou know that? If he did, he wouldn't be making him and Karao clean up after his mess. Also, did Kanou know that he tempted to kill Tadashi? It felt like that was what he wanted, leaving the two here all alone.

"Telling us to clean with him, and then leaving. Karao, don't clean anything! Just put that blanket on the floor on his body, push the table off to the wall, and then let's go. We'll go look for someone, and Kanou will be back before we even leave the building." He said.

Doing as told, Karao threw the blanket on Tadashi, and rushed over behind Ayato. Right before they both left, Karao glanced back at Tadashi, only seeing the soles of his feet, and then scurrying out with the doors slamming shut.

It was quiet out in the corridors, and Ayato looked at his watch often with a frown. It was nearly one in the morning, meaning many of the ghouls in the building were asleep or out hunting. It was going to be hard to find someone to watch over Tadashi. Especially since there were no walkie-talkies or speakers throughout the area, it would take a miracle to do so. The chance of finding someone seemed to be near zero.

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**A/N:** I originally typed 4k+ words for this chapter, but I was like, "Nah, I'll save it for chapter 6." So prepare for the next chapters. Hope you enjoyed this one!

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(✿◠‿◠) **Feedback, please! **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N**: Read (if on PC) 3/4 size.

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**Wabi-sabi:** _represents a comprehensive Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. The aesthetic is sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete"_

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At times like this, Ayato was only left with his thoughts. Karao couldn't talk too much without sounding so insane. As much as he didn't want to think, he had to. To distract himself before he got too deep, he started to shout. His words echoed down the halls, and he hoped they would reach someone. "Who's here? We need someone!" He shouted.

No response. They have had been walking for five minutes, which was far too long when it came to searching for someone to watch over Tadashi. "I guess we have to do it. Let's go back, Karao." Ayato frowned.

They planned to return back to the room, until the sound of running resonated in their ears. They stopped in their steps immediately. It was Maiko, running towards them with an opened mouth and glistening eyes. Not too far behind her was Momo, who looked just as serious as ever. Right before crashing into the two men, Maiko stopped herself with one firm stomp to the floor.

"We heard you call out for help? Here I am to save your day." Maiko smirked.

"Maiko, don't speak to him li—"

Momo's voice cut off by Maiko's scream as Ayato kicked her at her side, sending her crashing into the wall. The walls seemed to shake, along with the floor. Momo shook her head and sighed in disapproval. This wasn't the first time Maiko's cockiness had gotten them in trouble, and she was positive it wasn't going to be the last either. It also wasn't the first time Ayato beat her up.

Ayato and Karao hunched over Maiko's body, both staring at her with raised eyebrows. Karao was checking her out, since her shirt hiked up, revealing the stretch marks at her stomach. They were the closest things to scars on a woman that he had seen in awhile, and so terribly he wanted to feel them. If only it wasn't for Ayato grabbing her by her hair, and lifting up her head.

"Save my day? Don't think of yourself as so great, Maiko. We just needed someone to watch over that boy you guys brought in last week." Ayato drawled. He was bored and tired of everything at the moment.

"Sorry, Ayato," Momo spoke. "We only capture and torture, not babysit."

"You can barely torture anyone with those weak wings of yours though, and Maiko's rinkaku is only as good as her fighting skills are." He responded with subtle pleasure in his voice. He enjoyed taunting them, because they were the only people in the building that didn't cower to talk to him. Then he continued, "Your kagunes are so useless, you two are the so close to being humans." He chuckled.

There were many things Ayato joked about on the two that they would tolerate. Sometimes it was their appearance, lack of skills, Momo being too boring, but they could never take him mocking their kagunes. The expression on Momo changed instantly, and she raised her head up with knitted eyebrows.

Even Maiko jumped up, her kakugan appearing and she gritted her teeth. "Oh yeah? I'll show you!" She fumed, and one tentacle came out from her waist. It smacked at the wall, and the corridor shook. When she pulled back, there was a deep dent in the wall, and she planned to take out the other one.

"Karao, take care of these two. If they can defeat you, then they'll go against me. Until then, I'm going back to the room." Ayato informed, and then spun around. He stuffed his hands into his pocket, and whistled while walking away.

"Hey, Ayato! Get back here, you coward. Running away from a fight?" Maiko shouted, about to chase him until Karao's kagune stopped her. The thick tentacles of Karao's rinkaku cut the space right in front of her.

He was a bit nervous, and his hands evidently shook. It had been a long time since he had a fight, and it had been especially a long time since he fought with a women. Typically, his victims wouldn't dare fight back, except for the eyepatch one. At the thought of that again, he began to feel aroused and moved his head to the side. "Ayato, do I kill them? Do what I want?" He asked, since Ayato's figure was still in view.

"No, just teach them a lesson or two." Ayato looked back at Karao with a threatening look, "Hurt Maiko as badly as you want, but," he mouthed the next line, hoping that Karao would catch it.

_Don't you dare touch Momo._ Was what Ayato mouthed, and Karao nodded his head. He could see why Ayato didn't want him harming Momo, she hadn't threatened him yet. However, Karao felt like there was more to it. There was no time to think about that though, because Maiko screamed, and sliced one of Karao's tentacle with hers.

Then she leaped back, pulling out her second one. Karao still only had one out, but the next two soon came, and they appeared even longer and thicker than the previous one. Neither of them planned to hold back, and Momo yawned at the two. She had relaxed already, and had no intention of seeing the fight at all.

While the two brawled, tentacles aiming at the bodies of each other, Momo snuck by Karao and scurried down the hall. When she reached the door to the room Ayato was in, she opened them with a deep breath and entered. It was so bright, and Momo's eyes were so sensitive that she was blinded for just a moment. Ayato stared at the older woman with a nonchalant expression, and then returned back to prodding at Tadashi's body.

"So you didn't find out his name?" Ayato inquired. Tadashi stirred gently in his sleep, and his leg twitched as Ayato poked at it.

Momo shook her head, and walked over to the two. "Yomo didn't shout it out or anything. The only sound I heard were this guy's screaming. It was so damn loud, I'm that the doves haven't gotten there sooner." She told him.

"Maybe it was so loud to you because of your great senses." He replied. It was the first time he complimented her, and she smiled softly.

"Could be, but they'll never be as good as Master Yotsume. Those eyes and ears of her are surely something else." Momo said with admiration hinted with faint jealousy.

Hinami was younger than her by almost ten years, yet already worked in Aogiri Tree with people like Ayato. Another thing was that Momo had been with Aogiri Tree since nearly the beginning, and Hinami had just recently came. It was reasonable though, because she could do far more than Momo could ever.

Ayato didn't catch the difference in her tone, and nodded his head in agreement. It had been a long time since he had seen her, and for some reason, he cared enough to wonder how she was doing. Lately Hinami had been studying maps and records for various numbers of missions, leaving no time free time for her. Sometimes Ayato and her would hang out, talk about missions together, but most times, she was reading and writing.

"Will you really fight Maiko if she defeats Karao?" Momo questioned.

"Why not? I keep my word, most times. But that won't be happening, Karao will probably decapitate her soon." Ayato drawled while scratching the back of his neck. "Man, I can't wait to leave this place." He yawned.

His words about Karao caused Momo to stop breathing for a millisecond. That was her best friend, even if Maiko didn't like to admit that. As much as she wanted to express her concern about it, she didn't. It wouldn't only make her look weak, but also show that she wasn't confident in Maiko anymore. Instead, she replied to his last statement. "It's not that bad. We hold some of the livestock, meaning all you can eat when you reside here. Maiko and I are always in there." She said, and then walked over to Tadashi's head.

His eyes were loosely shut; a thin white line between his eyelids. His chapped lips parted a little, and lilac bags under his eyes. With Momo's strong sense of smell, she could smell his excessively sweated skin and hair. He looked almost dead, if it weren't for his chest from rising and falling as he breathed such shallow breaths. Although being with Aogiri Tree, she couldn't help but often put herself through a human's perspective and shudder. She felt sort of sympathetic towards him, and wanted so badly to just stab right through his heart to take him out of his misery.

Of course the life of a ghoul was also terrible, since they had the burden of being born the way they were and couldn't live without doing the things they do. Secretly, sometimes Momo wished she wasn't a ghoul. Sometimes, she wished that she was rather nothing.

All of a sudden, the vibrations of something or rather someone pushed to the wall roughly could be felt all the way from the room, and Momo grabbed the edge of the bed for firm support. Maiko's scream even reached the room, and then it was dead quiet. Momo rushed over to the door and left the room.

Once she was out, Karao walked in. His cuts healing, and by the time he reached Ayato's side, it was pale and smooth again.

"How'd it go? It felt interesting from here. Is she breathing?" Ayato inquired, although he didn't look at Karao once yet.

"I'd like to say that ugly woman will live," he smiled, "for a short time."

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[Listen to music]

As Momo made her way to Maiko, she seen Maiko leaned against the wall, coughing blood and grabbiipping shoulder. She also noticed that the shadowed side of Maiko was smaller than usual. When she finally got to Maiko's side, she seen why Maiko appeared smaller than usual. Her whole left arm was cut off, and it poured blood out. There was also a slit at her chest, near her collarbones, and her abdomen had been stabbed through multiple times.

"Fuck. He was so close to my kakuhou! He might've gotten to the edge of it too!" Maiko thundered, and coughed out more blood. A rinkaku's regenerative ability was prominently fast, but she was bleeding too much too fast, and her regenerating ability wasn't keeping up too well. "He tried cutting off my head, and my legs. _God!_" She cried.

Momo had never seen her so stressed before, and her mind went blank. If Maiko lost a finger, it would form back quickly, but a whole arm and hole right through her was different. Momo wasn't sure what to do, and she knew that she had to do something fast before this got even worse. The only possible help came from Ayato and Kanou, but when she turned her head to call them out, the doors to Tadashi's room creaked shut.

There was only one thing left to do really.

"Here," she lifted up her arm to Maiko's face, "you need to restore yourself. Take a few bites. Here." This was the first time she was doing this, and her arm shook despite her trying her best to not let it. They had never cannibalized before, unlike majority of their comrades. "Hurry!" She shouted, bringing her hand closer to Maiko's mouth.

Maiko blinked a few times to process what was happening, and once she understood everything, she shook her head and forced out a chuckle. "Just carry me to the kitchen. I can eat in there." She groaned, and pressed her hand against the wall, pulling herself up. The blood oozed on the ground, making a repulsive splattering noise loud to their ears. It looked like Maiko was becoming paler as the seconds went back, and she swayed while trying to firmly stand up.

Momo raised her hand to help her, but Maiko shook her head. One of her flaws was putting her pride before herself.

"I got this." She mumbled, and then took one step forward. The staircase was just a couple of turns away, but it seemed so far. Death to a ghoul was almost just as inevitable as it was to a human.

Momo suddenly went in front of Maiko, causing her to almost trip back. "Get on." Momo ordered, and then bent down.

If this was just a light situation, like Maiko losing a foot, she would have absolutely refused help. That was just the kind of person she was, so when she hesitantly got on Momo's back, she heaved a heavy sigh. Thankfully, she was a lot lighter than Momo, who carried her with ease around the floor.

They were at the last floor, and it happened to be the trickiest floor. A few wrong turns and one would eventually forget which way they came in. The kitchen was five floors down, specifically the second floor. Whenever Momo glanced that at the blood trail behind her, she felt as if she was going the wrong way, and running out of time.

Although Maiko's vision was hazy, she could see Momo's distinct bright red hair, and then tried her best to focus on that. They say the sight is the first sense to go when someone dies, and Maiko guessed that was true.

"Hey, Momo." Maiko whispered into her ear with a faint voice.

It was painful to hear her like that, and it was even more painful to know that it meant Maiko wouldn't be able to talk much longer. In a soft voice, Momo responded, "Yes, Maiko?" They were at fourth floor now, and Momo quickened her steps.

"I think I got your shirt all bloody, I'm sorry."

Momo laughed and moved her head slightly to look at Maiko. "When you actually start apologizing, that's when I know it's bad." She teased.

Maiko tried her best to laugh, but could barely manage out a chuckle. She didn't even want to laugh. Actually, she wanted to cry, and kill Karao. It was her fault though, if she wasn't so rash, this wouldn't have happened. She kept mumbling sorries into Momo's ear, and tightened her legs around her hips. Other ghouls were returning from wherever, and those that walked by them, ignored them.

"Kick Karao's ass for me, will ya?" Maiko asked with a smirk. The infamous smirk of hers, always making Momo shake her head in disapproval. This time though, Momo nodded her head with a halfhearted smile.

"Of course I will." She replied, and then stopped walking, seeing that there was no point anymore. "Are those your last words? Don't you have anything better to say?"

Maiko didn't respond right away, and tears formed at her eyes, and she made no attempt to wipe them away. After all, acting as if she was so damn tough was what got her in this situation. Yet even with the hot tears, she frowned, and in a croaking voice she shouted, "You're going to let me die on an empty stomach?" That was half-joke, and also literal.

"Those better not be your last words." Momo said, and then pressed her fingers into Maiko's thighs. Her skin was so cold, and she hesitantly started to move forward. "Hold on tight." Then she ran the fastest she ever ran before, gritting her teeth as she felt Maiko's arm tighten around her neck.

During the time, Maiko took the moment to acknowledge Momo's countenance. Her watery eyes were focused forward, and her lips were quivering in a thin line. Her nostrils would flare with every breath she let out, and even from a profile perspective, Maiko could see that she was anxious. Or angry even. The kitchen was just one more floor away, and Momo pushed herself even more.

Her stamina was always her weakness, and her speed gradually decreased. It wasn't just the weight of Maiko's body now, or how tired her muscles felt, it was also the weight of the ache in her chest and how quick her heart pounded. But she had to keep going, for Maiko. When she reached the second floor, she was panting, and hunching even more.

Some ghouls were stepping out of the kitchen, and their noses twitched. But they were all workers, weak ghouls who wouldn't dare bother them, even if they peeked to see the blood on the ground.

"Get out, all of you," Momo ordered, bursting into the kitchen and settling the pale Maiko on the counter. The other ghouls rushed out, and closed the door behind them. "Here," she mumbled while bringing over a defrosted kidney she found near the sink. It was still a little cold at the bottom, and she clenched her hand in attempt to warm it up.

Maiko grabbed it and shoved it into her mouth, however she could barely chew. The life of her really was draining out now. "I guess this is it. I lived the average life span of a ghoul, I suppose," she chuckled pathetically, until that cough turned into a raucous cough.

"And you didn't even live it that well," Momo joked, and watched Maiko's legs dangle at the edge of the counter.

"Oh, shut up. I think it was a good life, considering how much I got to eat. Not a lot of ghouls get that chance."

"Guess so," Momo said quietly. "It was a good life, wasn't it?" A smile formed, and her eyes shined under the dim light. Tears swelling up, and she sniffled.

Maiko nodded her head, "The best life a monster could ever have lived." Then she dropped the kidney to the ground. Her right hand twitched, and she could feel its ability to move dissipate. "Can you believe we're all destined to die, but we understand death better than those damn humans?"

"Stop getting all poetic, because then I really know it's going downhill." She wanted to say it like it was a joke, but her words choked.

As much as Maiko wanted to argue, as much as she wanted to say something else other than _this is it, I'm done and I think I'm happy. You have gave me more than I have ever deserved. _But her voice died off and her cheeks grew rosy despite the rest of her skin being pale, so she just stared at Momo. The only family she could ever have, and vision began to fade, and she didn't mind Momo being the last person she seen.

Momo could see the ending inching closer, and she wiped her cheeks. "I hate how 'humans' is your last words, but honestly, I don't think I ever met anyone more real than you." She told her, and then it was quiet.

There were no shuffles from the outside, though she knew other ghouls stood waiting and eavesdropping. Her sense of hearing could hear someone speak, and they mention Maiko. That was when the ache in her chest grew too enormous to keep down. She bend down over Maiko's still body, and she could feel Maiko's blood dampen her shirt. She lifted up her head, and suddenly began to howl. Howl out of anger, pain, and out of misery. Like a wolf, only this wolf has lost their pack.

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**A/N:** I know the detailed death of Maiko seems unnecessary, but a writer never writes without a planned effect.

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(✿◠‿◠) **Feedback, please! **


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